Midlands Week 5 Players To Watch

It's a weird mix of football games in the Midlands this week. We have several teams playing region games while others are playing teams outside of the area as they prepare to begin region play next week. Plus, games start on Wednesday due to impending weather expected in the area over the next several days.   Here is a look at several players we want to keep an eye on as we're nearing the halfway point of the regular season.   DJ Green DB, Swansea   Swansea lost a heartbreaker to Barnwell last week to suffer its first loss of the season. But Green has been the driving force for a dominant defense. He recorded 11 tackles and two sacks in that loss. He has 54 tackles, four sacks, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery on the season. The Tigers still haven't allowed more than 20 points in a game this season and that came in the opener.   Rondrecus Peterson LB, Columbia   Peterson leads the Capitals with 39 tackles and eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He is coming off a game in which he recorded seven tackles and five tackles for loss. Now he must face a Swansea team that wants to run the football first and has two very talented backs to help them move the chains. It will be instrumental in having Peterson have a huge game.     [player_tooltip player_id='1592414' first='KD' last='Whitt'] ATH, Batesburg-Leesville   Whitt is a threat every time he touches the ball. On offense, he has four rushes for 91 yards and 11 receptions for 235 yards but out of those 15 touches, he has eight touchdowns – six receiving and two rushing. Add in the fact he's returned a kickoff for a score, and he has potential to take it the distance any time he touches the ball. He's also one the of the team's best defensive backs.   JT Lott DL/DE, Saluda   Lott is a force at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds. He is the Tigers leading tackler with 36 stops on the season to go along with two sacks. Devon Wallace leads the team with five sacks so that gives Saluda a formidable pass rush. Lott is coming off a game in which he had six tackles but more importantly, he had four quarterback hurries.   Calab Levy WR, Newberry   Newberry and Fairfield Central staged an explosive scoring fest last Friday with the Bulldogs coming up just short. Levy did his part with three catches for 90 yards and a touchdown to go along with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Newberry has plenty of playmakers but might be facing its toughest test against the Saluda defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267324' first='Ophir' last='Hill'] LB, Lower Richland   The Diamond Hornets are talented at linebacker and Hill finished last week with 16 tackles and a tackle for loss against Darlington. Daniel Gee added 12 tackles so it's going to be the Lower Richland linebacker group that will carry it forward. They are in region play now and this one with Crestwood might end up being key come playoff time.   [player_tooltip player_id='1394990' first='Ladamien' last='Belton'] RB, Crestwood   Belton has been the one consistent thing for the Knights attack this season. Crestwood is unsettled at quarterback with three different players taking snaps. So far that has led to the bulk of the offense falling onto Belton's strong legs. He has 419 rushing yards and six touchdowns.   Logan Freeman LB, Camden   Freeman teams with Evan Presbot to form a solid linebacker tandem for the Bulldogs. Freeman leads Camden with 52 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. The Bulldogs lost its region opener last week and needs to get on the winning track against Dreher if they want to stay in contention the rest of the way.   Jayce Rios LB, Westwood   Westwood pitched a shutout against Blythewood last week in a 7-0 win and Rios was at the forefront of the defensive effort. The senior recorded 16 tackles, a tackle for loss and forced a fumble. Rios is only 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, but is quick and has a knack for finding the football.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172363' first='Khristian' last='Jackson'] WR and [player_tooltip player_id='1078102' first='Darius' last='Carter'] WR, Ridge View   The Blazers have not been the offensive team many expected in the preseason but now that region play has arrived, they have another chance. Jackson and Carter will be key right now. They both have 17 receptions with Jackson tallying 321 yards and four touchdowns. Carter has added 250 yards receiving. If those two get going along with QB [player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard'], Ridge View might have something to say about the region race.       [player_tooltip player_id='1603854' first='Eric' last='Richardson'] WR, Lugoff-Elgin   Richardson has been a huge boost to the Demons offensive attack. He has 20 catches for 367 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 4 yards rushing and another score. He pairs up with [player_tooltip player_id='1267277' first='Shamil' last='Saadiq'] to give quarterback Aiden Fitzgerald to impressive targets on the outside.   Ry'heim Tiller LB, Sumter   Tiller has only played in three games this season, but he had a season-high seven tackles in his last outing. He's not the biggest linebacker at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds but he's quick, reads plays well and closes on the ball-carrier quickly. He's a great addition to an already solid Gamecocks defense.    [player_tooltip player_id='1574044' first='Kellen' last='Dimes'] ATH, Spring Valley   In a loss to Sumter, Dimes had 217 All-Purpose yards and the Vikings only touchdown on a 29-yard pass. Dimes is a natural wide receiver and defensive back, but he's filled in at quarterback as well. He's a threat in the return game and makes plenty of plays while in space.   [player_tooltip player_id='1157753' first='Kemuel' last='Little'] LB, Blythewood   The Bengals defense has been stellar most of the season to help Blythewood to start 4-1 on the season. Little is the leading tackler with 26 and he has 13 tackles for loss along with seven sacks. He plays behind a huge defensive line that includes [player_tooltip player_id='1012579' first='Sterling' last='Sanders'] to help him stay free to make plays. Blythewood has held four of its five opponents to a touchdown or less and hasn't allowed more than two touchdowns in any game this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1360365' first='Jaiden' last='Haltiwanger'] DB, Hammond   Let's put this in perspective. Hammond's starting defense has not allowed a touchdown in the first half since the season opener. Last week, they led 55-0 at the half before mainly playing backups in the second half. Haltiwanger had two interceptions, a pass breakup, a tackle for loss and one tackle in his two quarters of play. The Skyhawks travel to undefeated Northwood Academy this week.

It's a weird mix of football games in the Midlands this week. We have several teams playing region games while others are playing teams outside of the area as they prepare to begin region play next week. Plus, games start on Wednesday due to impending weather expected in the area over the next several days.